Updates from the hills of Tuscany, a restored farmhouse in Chianti, midway between Florence and Siena. We write about local history and culture, life in Tuscany, the seasonal changes, pleasures of the garden and country kitchen, local stories and encounters with wildlife.

Monday, June 8, 2015

Pergolas

Getting there

From Wikipedia:

A pergola or arbour is a garden feature forming a shaded walkway, passageway, or sitting area of vertical posts or pillars that usually support cross-beams and a sturdy open lattice, often upon which woody vines are trained.

I would argue that woody vines and other climbing plants are almost invariably trained on any pergolas worthy of that name...

The pergola is the ultimate 'garden feature' which tends to be both functional and decorative. I assume pergolas have been around for a long time. The Chiostro Verde of Santa Maria Novella, in Florence, has a wonderful depiction of an early renaissance pergola.

from the Life of Noah, the Drunkenness of Noah, Green Cloisters, Santa Maria Novella

It is to be found in The Sacrifice and Drunkenness of Noah painted by Paolo Uccello in about 1425. Above the figure of Ham, in clear outline and striking for its perspective, stands a geometrical pergola replete with fat bunches of golden grapes.

The garden at Le Ripe has been planted according to a design which evolved over some years and depended on various factors: our dreams, the lie of the land, the type of soil and the climate, not in that order.

It was impossible to plan everything from the start; indeed it would have been a mistake. As it is, some plants (and dreams) have had to be discarded as reality presented obstacles along the way. Yet about some things we have been signally stubborn.

From the beginning we decided that a pergola or two would be most congenial. What more delightful way to shade a dining or sitting area from the summer heat while decorating it with rose, wisteria and honeysuckle and filling the air with their perfumes, as our ancestors have done down the ages?

Our first pergola was constructed in 2007. It was a simple wooden affair designed to shade a small patio. We planted a pink climbing rose (name long forgotten) and a honeysuckle (lonicera periclymenum serotina) which arrived with us from a balcony in Milan.

Eight years on we are still waiting. In the meantime the nameless pink rose has perished (possibly thanks to pruning ignorance) and been replaced with a Cécile Brünner, which is famous for being prolific (hope springs eternal); the Milanese honeysuckle reached the horizontal plane only last year, so we added another honeysuckle for good measure. Hence we are still using canvas canopies to provide shade.

Next up was a large wooden pergola to shade a dining area for giants. Here we immediately planted what is doubtless a garden cliché, but irresistible nevertheless: The Wisteria, or rather two. This was in 2010. In five years the wisteria has covered perhaps 6 square metres in total, if we are being optimistic. Are we doing something wrong? The wisteria is duly pruned each winter and certainly looks wildly luxuriant in the summer. It is just slow to spread. Our canvas canopies were renewed this year.

Impatient with this lack of progress, about three years ago we added two of the above-mentioned Cécile Brünner roses which, it must be said, are doing their valiant best.

Our third attempt at elevated horizontal vegetation is an iron pergola made and installed in 2013 by our favourite local blacksmith. Here is the description of its installation. This time we chose two climbing roses, New Dawn, and four grapevines (table grapes, known in Italy as uva Italia and uva Victoria). They are getting there: this year four out of six plants have achieved the horizontal. But only just.

Yet each winter, to our chagrin, they get pruned back to basics and they have to start all over again the following year.

We begin to wonder when we will enjoy thick, cool, overarching, green arbours. We cannot wait to be able to say with Marvell:

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Situated on a hillside, Le Ripe in Chianti has an orchard with heritage fruit trees, an organic vegetable garden, a row of 18 olives, wild figs, wild grapes, dozens of lavender bushes, a medieval hortus conclusus,a shrubbery, English roses and drifts of bulbs, all requiring labour and love but giving much pleasure in return.

The farm buildings, once home, stable, sty and byre, now renovated, host our friends and family. The cottage, a former barn, and two apartments in the main building, once stable and stall, are rented to guests who come by the week or longer. For more information on staying at Le Ripe, see our rental website.

Now out: Wide Awake

The diary of an Australian Milkmaid, 1882-1889

Em Munro writes her diary in late 19th century colonial Australia, a time and place rife with contradictions. Ordinary settlers struggle to make ends meet in a tough environment where the squatter class has claimed the best land. And the Indigenous Australians who thrived for tens of thousands of years on that land are dispossessed and crushed. Woman’s place is in the home but women’s suffrage is in the air; dreams of independence vie with romantic fantasies; new loyalties compete with old: life choices need to be made.Em is passionate but trapped in a provincial world with little stimulus and less scope for advancement. Her diary recounts her family’s story, her daily life but also her dilemmas and dreams and eventually her ‘getting of wisdom’.

Lily of Lonestorm

Threepenny Tales 2

Lily of Lonestorm is another whimsical Tall Tale for readers from age six. Lily's courageous search for her parents unfolds on her island in the Windy Western Ocean and on board the miraculous Seraphina, a ship with Special Potentiality. In the company of a most unusual band of pirates, a surly goat, some bad-tempered fowl and her best friend, rascally Rags, Lily braves Adventures on the high seas and explores uncharted territories, never losing Hope, Wonder and her love of Home.

FOR STORY LOVERS FROM AGE 6

The Adventures of Barnaby Twickins

Threepenny Tales 1

The Adventures of Barnaby Twickins is a whimsical Tall Tale for all readers from age six up. Barnaby's jaunty, often tongue-in-cheek story takes place in a 17th or maybe 18th century fantasy world of lace and cauliflowers, clogs and fripperies. Our Hero is a merry, plucky Boy who dreams of becoming a Clown and entertaining the World. Readers will enjoy meeting Barnaby's assorted surprising Companions, as well as sharing his Adventures with their dash of Romance and twist of Absurdity.

FOR STORY LOVERS FROM AGE 6

The Dove of Montségur

Medieval mysteries

Based on an historical episode, The Dove of Montségur evokes life in a singular medieval community, the tragic price paid for challenging the established order, and the possibility of redemption thanks to one girl's courage.

Dante's Gift

sequel to The Dove of Montségur

Medieval conspiracies

In humble celebration of the 750th anniversary of Dante's birth:If you are curious about the possible links between Dante Alighieri, medieval Florence, the Cathars and the Templars, have a look at this novel. Click on the image for the Kindle version.

Will's Way

a story of Shakespeare's childhood and youth

Shakespeare's Childhood Story

Little is known of Shakespeare's childhood and youth. Will's Way imagines how young William's family, his childhood experiences in Warwickshire in the 1570s and his particular moment in history may have inspired and motivated the man and writer he became. In addition, the novel contains a literary treasure hunt: over 160 quotations from Shakespeare's works have been put in the mouths of its characters. The reader is invited to spot the quotations and identify their sources which are to be found at the end of the book.

Evin of the Trees

Bronze Age imaginings

If the idea of a matriarchal society in bronze age Britain intrigues you, click on the image below for the Kindle version of this novel.

Leitha's Story Blog

For extra news, images and info on the books above, plus ideas on writing, see Leitha Martin's Story Blog

the heart of winter

twisted hazel

the heart of winter

stone trough and ice

the heart of winter

fig

the heart of winter

teucrium

the heart of winter

frozen grass

the heart of winter

a brave pansy

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Artemis

Goddess of the hunt, of wild animals, of the wilderness; the deer and the cypress were sacred to her. When I was a child and in love with ancient Greek mythology, after Athena, Artemis was my favourite goddess. If we dabbled in such things, she would be the patron of Le Ripe.

TROUBLE VIEWING BLOG PROPERLY?

Some browsers seem to have trouble visualising this blog as published (the side column slides down to the bottom or posts are missing). Try using Chrome or Firefox if you have problems...

TuscanArtGirl

a new website for readers from Holland, just launched by a friend: have a look at the original Tuscan works of art and craft

Table Affairs

a friend's website of delightful items for the table and home which I would like to share with readers; click on the image to see her site

Be a contributor

If you have a Google account you are free to make comments on this blog (see Comments link after each post). If you do not have a Google account, please write to Le Ripe, letting us know who you are and why you would like to participate. You will need an alias (preferably in Latin). We will then send you a request to join as an official contributor and ecco: you're in!Upupa Epops